Akhtar banned for five years

[andyc]

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/344698.html

 

[silentstriker]

From what I can see, the ban is for "publicly criticising the PCB". That's all of CW banned, then.

edit - Sorry, I see he was on probation, fair play, but still, ridiculous IMO

Ah - just read it. Yea, overreaction, considering how much he has got away with in the past.

 

[GIMH]

Still not totally conviced of the non-April-fools nature of this but if it is true, I reckon I give it 2 weeks until the U-turn.

If, by some miracle, it's not an April-fools, and there is no U-turn, it's probably for the best. Have said it many times - Shoaib's had more new-leaf-turn-overs than possibly any cricketer in history - some people are just hopleless cases, and he's been an extremely disruptive influence on Pakistan cricket (along with Shahid Afridi) for almost as long as I can remember. Extreme even by Pakistan cricket standards.

The sooner Pakistan are rid of him the better, really, for my money.

There's no way it's an April Fool's IMO

 

[Richard]

From what I can see, the ban is for "publicly criticising the PCB". That's all of CW banned, then.

TBF, all of CW aren't PCB employees.

Most agencies would immediately sack or at very least internally discipline someone for publically criticising their employers.

 

[sideshowtim]

There's no way it's an April Fool's IMO

It would be one of the greatest April Fools jokes ever IMO. Would be the best thing the PCB has ever done by a long stretch.

 

[pasag]

He was on probation. Commit a minor crime like shoplifting when you're on probation and you'll go away for a bit.

Indeed, five years is incredible and unprecedented though.

 

[sideshowtim]

Indeed, five years is incredible and unprecedented though.

Five years is probably a bit excessive, a ban of 3 years seems about right IMO. Either way, it pretty much ends his international career. I can't imagine him steaming in and bowling at 150-160 at 35 after a few years away from the game.

 

[duffer]

Errm, what exactly does this do for his IPL contract?

 

[Prince EWS]

Errm, what exactly does this do for his IPL contract?

\_/ IMO.

Virtually no-one to get this post.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Hahahaha. Good riddance, a drugs cheat and a stain on the sport.

 

[Richard]

Oh yeah - one thing, hope we still see FRAZ's continued presence even if there is no U-turn.

 

[Johnners]

\_/ IMO.

Virtually no-one to get this post.

Keep that thing out of CW imo. It's a scourge on society, much like Shoaib is for cricket actually.

 

[Nate]

\_/ IMO.

Virtually no-one to get this post.

Binned?

 

[Googenheim]

Ego hassles imo.

 

[GIMH]

Hahahaha. Good riddance, a drugs cheat and a stain on the sport.

Outspoken stuff from barney

 

[Barney Rubble]

Outspoken stuff from barney

Yeah, well, I can't stand the guy TBH. Ironically I never had any problems with his bowling action, I just think he's a ****. Immature, and the exact opposite of a team player.

 

[Jono]

Shaoib's had his problems, but he was so exciting to watch that I just loved him anyway.

Fitting end to his career though lol.

Will miss ya Shoaib, probably seen you bowl around 300 balls in the last 3 years though, so probably won't miss seeing you on the cricket field much

 

[BoyBrumby]

Massive discrepancy between the crime & the punishment for me. Yeah, on the one hand the bloke's a drug-using, ball-tampering, dodgy-actioned, teammate-attacking tool, but 5 years for speaking out of turn?!

 

[sideshowtim]

Massive discrepancy between the crime & the punishment for me. Yeah, on the one hand the bloke's a drug-using, ball-tampering, dodgy-actioned, teammate-attacking tool, but 5 years for speaking out of turn?!

As others have said, he was on probation. And Richard also mentioned that most employers would give you the arse if you slagged them off.

 

[BoyBrumby]

As others have said, he was on probation. And Richard also mentioned that most employers would give you the arse if you slagged them off.

Fair enough, by all means ban him, but given testing positive for drugs has a two-year tariff, five for saying something out of turn seems disproportionate to me. It's just a bit ironic given all the decent reasons he's given the PCB to ban him this was what pushed them over the edge.

What exactly did he say, anyway? The BBC article isn't clear on that.